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Seminary Ruin Dumbarton

Formerly a Roman Catholic Seminary, location four has been standing since 1966 and has taken many forms since its construction fifty-some years ago. The building itself initially served as an educative site to training priests yet has also fulfilled alternative purposes over its lifetime such as functioning as a drug rehabilitation centre in the 1980s.
Gates to the seminary
Site Gates ft. Roscoe
On the outskirts of the main building just past the site gates sits the remnants of a small outhouse just off to the side of the path.
Old house which is extremely decayed

Extreme degradation to the site itself is evident when compared with its condition when in operation. This is easily attributable to extensive fire and water damage over the years alongside constant exposure to year-round harsh Scottish weather conditions.
A view of the seminary when it was in its original condition and in use
Source: Wikipedia
View of the building from the inside

Very little of what once was remains within the ruin. Central staircases in each building are fenced and inaccessible, however prayer rooms are still standing alongside tiled bathrooms.
Barricaded slab of concrete which used to be a staircase
Interior of an old prayer room
Exterior of tiled bathroom
Interior of tiled bathroom which is severely graffitied

Within the premises, the basement levels remain. Of which, access to the main building lower level is restricted.
view of the seminary from outside which displays its size
Looking into the basement which has flooded

The basement, alongside the building in its entirety is severely graffitied, however, some of the works appear to be semi-professional and add to the building's character.
Semi-professional graffiti within the basement featuring a skull
Source: Alan McAteer
Semi-professional graffiti of a nun wearing a gas mask
Source: NVA (Angus Farquhar)
Semi professional graffiti of a human body Semi-professional graffiti in the basement stating "lies, corruption, greed" More colourful graffiti within the basement   Panorama of graffiti on the roof of the building

Altogether, the state of the building now in terms of its architecture and the art which features on its walls is in some ways the true legacy of the site in that it is more meaningful for what it represents now than what it did when it was in operation. The seminary was intended to be converted into an art exhibit and was the site of a lights exhibition which ran for ten nights as part of Scotland's Festival of Architecture in 2016.
Seminary lit up all different colours for hinterland
Source: NVA


Source: NVA

However, in 2018 NVA closed down and so long-term restoration efforts for the seminary have been halted and to this day the building remains a ruin.
Exterior view of the second building View of the seminary from the middle of the inside View of the exterior from the other side of the building Columns of the basement which are overgrown with vines

[Read my last blog post HERE]

More blogs on this location:

https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/report-st-peters-seminary-cardoss-scotland-2018.114658/

http://www.gcat.org.uk/urbex/?p=115
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